Raiders learn the nuances of pass interference

On fourth-and-1 midway through the first quarter, Hue Jackson went to his go-to trick play — Shane Lechler throwing the ball. And, as Lechler did when he hooked up with Kevin Boss for a TD, he threw a dart. But as the ball arced toward receiver Jacoby Ford — mere inches from the goal line — defender Quentin Jammer shoved Ford to the ground.

Blatant pass interference? Not according to the rulebook.

Welcome to rarely invoked “Note 5” in the pass interference section of the NFL rulebook. It reads as follows:

Whenever a team presents an apparent punting formation, defensive pass interference is not to be called for action on the end man on the line of scrimmage, or an eligible receiver behind the line of scrimmage who is aligned or in motion more than one yard outside the end man on the line.

So, despite the animated sideline entreaties of Sebastian Janikowski, there was no flag in the Raiders’ favor.